Quad bike thefts increase in Yorkshire's rural areas as MP calls for tougher restrictions to help combat crime

Thefts of agricultural machinery and equipment - especially quad bikes - have ramped up as highly organised criminal gangs move to targeting rural areas with the lifting of Covid lockdown restrictions and a developing cost of living crisis.

A shortage in new and second-hand farm machinery is fuelling a surge in quad theft which has been compounded by global supply chain problems and delays, Covid, Brexit and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The factors have led to there being an increased demand on the black market, and, an MP has called for law changes in a Ten Minute Rule Bill put to The House of Commons earlier this month.

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However, Westerdale sheep farmer, Richard Findlay says that security in rural areas, such as the North York Moors where he has 240 acres of his own farmland and sheep rights over a further 1000 acres, is getting harder to monitor due to lifestyle changes and increased numbers of visitors to the countryside since lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Richard Findlay says that security in rural areas, such as the North York Moors, is getting harder to monitor due to lifestyle changes and increased numbers of visitors to the countryside since lockdowns and travel restrictions.Richard Findlay says that security in rural areas, such as the North York Moors, is getting harder to monitor due to lifestyle changes and increased numbers of visitors to the countryside since lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Richard Findlay says that security in rural areas, such as the North York Moors, is getting harder to monitor due to lifestyle changes and increased numbers of visitors to the countryside since lockdowns and travel restrictions.

He said: “Online shopping has intensified the number of delivery vans for somewhere like Westerdale. We are guilty of it here (with my wife and daughter) and everything that comes here from shoes to food to dresses is in a white van. If it is not the right colour or size, it goes back in a white van. There are white vans driving around the countryside all the time.

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Trends

Data from NFU Mutual’s theft claims reveals that although quad theft fell initially over the pandemic, criminal gangs are ramping up activity again with almost half the quad and thefts reported to NFU Mutual throughout 2021 taking place from September to December. The body estimated some 1,100 quad bikes are stolen from farms each year, costing farmers upwards of £3m.

MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins has requested a bill making it compulsory to wear a helmet, for vehicles to have immobilisers, and quads to be registered.MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins has requested a bill making it compulsory to wear a helmet, for vehicles to have immobilisers, and quads to be registered.
MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins has requested a bill making it compulsory to wear a helmet, for vehicles to have immobilisers, and quads to be registered.

Figures also show the most targeted counties for quad theft are Cumbria, Kent, West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

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Rebecca Davidison, NFU rural affairs specialist, says culprits are likely to be organised criminal gangs rather than opportunists.

She said: “We do a rural crime report every year, it is interesting because you see different trends every year. When it comes to agricultural vehicle thefts, that is still very lucrative and really ramped up towards the end of last year and this year. We insure three quarters of UK farms so it gives us a pretty good idea of what is going on and the worst hit areas are Cumbria, Kent, West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

“Some will be down to the nature of agriculture and the fact that they could be available. Sometimes it is a prolific gang working in a certain area, sometimes it gets dispersed into other areas if there is a crackdown - there are a host of reasons.”

Quads are particularly essential this time of year, with lambing season, and needed for checking on and feeding flock, but, due to shortages of both new and second-hand vehicles farmers face a long wait to get replacements.

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Intelligence also shows stolen quads are being hidden a short distance from where they were taken to check if it has a tracker fitted and to avoid detection.

If so, it is likely police or the farmer find and recover it from where it has been stashed rather than where thieves are operating from. They return a few days later to see if the bike is still there, and if so, likely not tracked, load it into a van and take it.

A pub landlady in Roxby got her stolen quad back after it had been seen by a farmer. Alison Wilson said: “We have a rural crime watch and whatsapp group has been quite successful. If somebody sees something it goes in there. It had been in the group and a farmer had seen the van.”

Parliament

MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins has requested a bill making it compulsory to wear a helmet, for vehicles to have immobilisers, and quads to be registered. West Yorkshire Police recorded more than 10,000 reports of anti-social use of quads and bikes in 2021 - a 42 per cent rise on the previous year. She said: “While these vehicles have important legitimate uses in agriculture and related industries, they are tools, not toys, and their careless, reckless and unsafe use on our streets is a menace – my constituents have had enough. Most off-road quads are not approved for use on public highways because they don’t meet safety standards. The lack of registration means that they are harder to trace by police. These are vehicles designed for herding animals in fields, not tearing up tarmac in our towns and cities.”